Unsecure chicken perches

[Isabel]

Collected two lovely black Pekins last night (from same breeder as our big girls). Fudge (belonging to DS1) is 12w and Blackie (DS2) is 10w. Having only one house and doing this on a winge and a prayer, we popped them in with the big girls at 11pm last night (cue two exhausted boys!) whilst the big girls were roosting. Let them out this morning and, predictably, the old-timers were very interested in the little ones - too interested, culminating in Delia (Sussex) tossing Blackie over and standing on her neck - whilst I dived onto Delia to scoot her off Delia is the problem!

 

Anyway, shoo'ed the big girls out and shut the little girls in the run. That was okay until 11.30am when Nigella badly wanted in to lay - by then we were working with chicken wire to make a small run inside the f/r area. Popped Nigella straight in the nest box and left her to it! The little ones now have a small temporary fenced-off area with .... a 40 year old dolls house as day-time shelter! They're happily sitting in it enjoying the sunshine! Have to give DH credit for that idea - it'll do for a few days.

 

I'm hoping that tonight, when the big girls are settled, i can pop the little ones back in and then separate them again in the morning. I don't think the dolls house is big enough for them to sleep in - unless I leave the door open but that wouldn't be very cosy. I'm also hoping and that after a couple of weeks, Delia will settle down and I can start letting them f/r together. I really don't want to run two flocks but if I must, I must.

 

So, advice please. Despite having read all the intros threads, a second hen-house wasn't an option (although it might have to be ) so I'm trying to figure out what will work out, even if it takes a while. (Please don't mention quarantine ). Do you think the little ones will be safe with Delia et al if we wait til the older ladies are nice and dozy tonight?

 

The Pekins, btw, are absolutely adorable. Oh, except I could swear that Fudge crowed this morning ! If she is a he, then the breeders will swap her. Haven't heard her at it since but she stood at the door to the run, lifted herself up tall and sang out several times - and it wasn't a sweet little cheeping noise! She's a terrible pecker too! Still, I can see why people love their Pekins - such little characters and the boys love to let them sit on their arms - I can see these two are going to be spoiled rotten!

 

Will try to post some pics later or tomorrow.

 

Isabel

[tom123]

The Pekins will need keeping totally separate until they are 20-22 weeks old, they really are way too young to be mixing with LF hens. They also still need to be on growers pellets.

 

When they reach that age, follow the steps on the introduction thread. You may find that you'll need to keep them separate forever.

[Isabel]

10 weeks? Yikes! They're all on growers at the moment so that's not a problem. Will they be okay fenced-off within the big girls area Tom? And does that mean they can't kip together at night? If that's the case, I'd best get searching for another house and fast! Hmmm, DH isn't going to like this one

[tom123]

I wouldn't put them in together until they are comfortable together in the day.

 

They should be fine inside a fenced off area, just ensure that they can't fly over into the big girls area